Customer Lead Officer Income Maximisation

Wigan Council; Wigan; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Wigan Council is seeking a Welfare Rights Adviser to deliver a comprehensive welfare rights information, advice and casework service from referrals and data-led approaches across the borough. You will advise on means-tested and non-means tested benefits, including entitlement calculations, and help residents become self-reliant in applications.

The role supports income maximisation at venues across the borough, with outreach work and regular updating of records to demonstrate financial outcomes.

Qualifications

• Experience in providing welfare benefits advice work.
• Excellent working knowledge of the benefits system.
• Desirable driving licence and access to a vehicle for outreach.

Responsibilities

• Provide welfare rights information, advice and casework from referrals and data-led approaches.
• Advise on means-tested and non-means-tested benefits, including entitlement and calculations.
• Support income maximisation activities at venues across the borough and update records.

Skills

Welfare rights advice

Benefits entitlement knowledge

Communication skills

Job description

Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance

Wigan Life Centre North and Leigh Life Centre, with the requirement to travel to various venues across the borough as needed

Salary: Grade 7, £33,673 - £37,563 per annum.

37 hours per week

Temporary until 31st March 2029

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you!

Your role:

Your role will be to provide a comprehensive, efficient and effective welfare rights information, advice and casework service from professional and customer self-referrals and our proactive data led approach, providing confidential advice on benefits, indebtedness and poverty to residents, using an asset-based approach.

You will provide advice on all aspects of means tested and non-means tested benefits, including entitlement, calculations and enabling customers to become self-reliant and build self-esteem and confidence in application processes.

You’ll support the facilitation of income maximisation activities, at venues across the borough, for customers including, but not exclusively, Department for Work and Pensions, Financial Assessment, Discount and Exemptions, Council Tax Reductions, Housing Payment in line with local policies and practice, accurately updating records and recording outcomes to demonstrate the financial achievements and Universal Credit support tracking.

About you:

The successful applicant will need to have relevant, demonstrable, experience in providing welfare benefits advice work. An excellent working knowledge of the benefits system is required along with first class communication skills.

It is desirable that you hold a current valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle for work use for this role as outreach work is required.

You will predominantly work Monday to Friday and hours will vary between 7:00 am and 19:00pm in line with the needs of the service demand. You will occasionally be required to work outside these hours and in these circumstances, you will be allocated equivalent time off Monday to Friday, assigned on a rota basis.

About us:

Our team embraces and effectively engages with residents to ensure their income is maximised. By placing the customer at the heart of everything we do, early intervention, prevention, and person-centred conversations are embedded in our approach. This ensures we fully understand each individual’s circumstances and can identify all possible additional support.

For us, it’s not just about all we achieve as an organisation, but how we do it. Therefore, all employees are expected to display our TeamWigan behaviours. Our asset-based approach puts residents needs at the heart of everything we do.

We can offer you a competitive salary and pension, a generous annual leave allowance, numerous salary sacrifice schemes, flexible and agile working arrangements, professional development opportunities and a rewarding, challenging career.

The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them.

Here at Wigan, we are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits click here to find out more about working for #TeamWigan.

To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK, and you must maintain a valid (active) right to work. Please note, at present we are not a licenced sponsor. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Prove your right to work to an employer

Wigan Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. As part of this commitment, Wigan Council operates robust Safer Recruitment procedures

We recognise that on occasion candidates may use AI tools. Please read our applying authentically section below before submitting your application.

For further information, please contact Gabe Fell, Business Manager Income Maximisation by email at [e-mail]

Interview date: Week Commencing 23rd November 2026

This position is subject to basic DBS disclosure procedures

The employer is committed to safeguarding

To view the details relating to this position, please click the links below:

Supporting Documents

• Job Specification
• DBS Applicant Information
• Privacy Notice
• Safer Recruitment at Wigan Council